Long Beach Plans Internet Outage for Infrastructure Upgrade This Weekend

Long Beach, California – The city of Long Beach announced a planned internet outage starting Friday evening as the Technology and Innovation Department upgrades its routers. The outage is expected to commence at 11 p.m. on July 11 and conclude by 8 a.m. on July 12. During this time, city departments will not have access to their high-speed internet, impacting city-provided Wi-Fi hotspots.

City officials stated that this upgrade aims to improve network reliability, especially after a recent internet disruption experienced last month. Rob Centeno, Long Beach’s deputy director for technology and innovation, advised residents to plan any necessary internet activities before or after the outage window.

While city internet services will be down, the Long Beach Utilities Department will remain operational. Residents facing emergencies related to water, sewer, or natural gas should contact emergency dispatch at 562-570-2390. Emergency communications for police and fire departments will not be affected; residents can continue to dial 911 for emergencies or 562-435-6711 for non-emergency services.

Centeno emphasized the importance of this upgrade, stating that the new routers will help the city pivot to an alternative internet provider in future outages. This upgrade is part of ongoing efforts by Long Beach to enhance the reliability and performance of its internet infrastructure.

As the outage approaches, city officials remind residents to prepare adequately to avoid disruptions to their online services.